New evidence of Late Upper Palaeolithic (Stone Age) activities from 14,000 years ago are being uncovered by The Ice Age Journeys and volunteer group FARI Archaeology (Farndon Archaeological Research Investigations). FARI was founded in 1998 to work on a section of this well established Roman site in Ancaster, Lincolnshire.
Geophysical surveying of the archaeological site revealed evidence of roads, Roman monuments, workshops and pottery kilns making up a Roman industrial centre. Artefacts dating to the 60-70AD Anglo Saxon transition have also been discovered.
Digging the trenches was slow, meticulous work. Richard Tyndall contacted Matt Lacey at SurveyTech to find the best surveying equipment combination to speed up the geophysical surveying while also increasing the accuracy. Matt assessed Richard's needs and recommended a GeoMax Zenith16 combined with X-PAD Software modules GNSS and GIS which has improved the process entirely.
The precision accuracy of the equipment gives the volunteers the ability to quickly and accurately survey their discoveries. This creates a far more detailed map so smaller, precious pieces like brooches are now easily discoverable – before it was a very long and laborious process. The speed at which the GeoMax kit helps the volunteers to survey the artefacts is far more efficient. Now 4500 individual items have been identified, each one mapped accurately and pinpointed to location. Richard and the FARI group can see the history of the site literally piecing together in front of them.
When we asked Richard what he think of the GeoMax equipment his response was...
“Everything about it is marvellous!”
In this video you can see how Richard and his volunteering team are using the Zenith16 at the Ice Age Journey at Bradgate Park (16min16sec)
So, why GeoMax?
Richard found the kit easy to use. After an on-site demo by Matt Lacey, the volunteers (all surveying amateurs), were immediately able to work with the equipment.
The X-PAD software and tablet are intuitive to use and the data can be exported to the Ice Age Journeys, and Stone Age Man project in a format that suits their project needs.
How the FARI group operates has been dramatically altered by GeoMax. It has made the volunteers' work more accurate, efficient, and more professional. The grants that were awarded are currently being used to their maximum. As a result of the amazing discoveries unearthed by the dedicated FARI volunteer group, Anglo-Saxon and Roman history is brought to life at roadshows to museums, schools, and communities throughout the UK.
For more information on GeoMax you can book a demo or download our catalogue.
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